Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-06-16
Tiraiuia fres grs5s.
W. W. b. GALLAHER, Editor.
CharIestolrI,, Jefferson County, Vest Va
June 10. 1857.
Aunfy ParsoB's Story.

| told Hezekiah-that's my man.
People mostly call him Squire Parsons,
but he never gets any Squirting from me.
We were married-"Hezekiah and Am
ariah"-that's going on forty years ago,
and he's Just Hezekiah to me and nothin'
more.
Well, as was saying, says I: "Heze-
kiah, We aren't right. am sure Of it. -
And he said "Of course not. We are
poor sinners, Amy; all poor sinners.
And said: "Hezekiah, this poor sin
ner' talk has gone on long enough |
suppose we are poor sinners, bat l don't
see any use Of being mean sinners; and
there's one thing think Is real mean"
1t was Jest after breakfast, and a. he
felt poorly, ne hedn't gone to the shop
yet, and so I had this little talk with him
to sort O. chirp him up.
He knew what was comm to, for
we had had the subject up before. 1t
was our little church. He always said
'The poor people, and what should We
ever do?7 And l always said We
never shall DO nothin' unless we try" =
And 50 when l brought the matter up
in this way, he Just began bitin' his tooth
pick, and said Whats up now? Who's
mean? Amariah, we oughtn't to speak
evil one Of another" Hezekiah always
says ~poor sinners" and doesn't seem to
mind it, but when I occasionally say
"mean sinners" he somehow gifts Uneasy.
But was started, and l meant to free
my mind.
So I said, says L: Il was going to con-
fess our sins. Dan1 confessed for all his
people, and I was confessin' for all our
little church"
Truth Is, says l, "ours i aIlus called
one Of the feeble churches, and l am
tired about it. I've raised seven chill
dren, and at fourteen months old every
boy and girl Of EN- could run alone
And our church Is fourteen years old,
says I, "and it can't take a step vet with
out somebody to hold on by. The Board
helps us-helps too much, thiHk-and
50 we live along, but we don't seem to
get along. Our people draw their "a
tons every year, a. the Indians do up at
the agency, and it doesn't seem some
times a if they ever thought Of doing
anything else. They take It 50 easy"
said. That's what worries NE. l don't
suppose We could pay al expenses, but
we might act a if We wanted to, and q:
if we meant TO DO all we can. There:
not many Of u, about hundred, l be
lieve. and some Of these K women folks
and some Is Jest girls and boys. And VT
all have to work hard and live close
but" SAYS I, ~let Us show disposition, /
: nothin' more. Hezekiah, if there's any
spirit left in Us, let us show some sort o.
. a disposition"
And Hezekiah had bis toothpick in hi
! teeth, and looked down at his boots, anC
. rubbed his chin, as lie always does wher
he guin' to say something Il thinl
there's some Of Us that shows 4 disPosi
ton"
Z Of course 1 understood that hit, but
: kept right on with my argument, and
= said: ~Ye, and a pretty bad disposition
10 let ourselves be helped when we ough
: to be helping ourselves And We ar
$ growing up cripples, only We don't grow
E Kiah," says I, edo you hear NE p Some
t times when l want to talk little he jes
shets his eyes, and begins to rock himsel
back and forth in the old armchair, an
he was doin' that now. 90 | said X
ah, DO you hear" And be said, "Some
= And then | went on 1--WE got i props
sition," says I. And he sort o locke